January 12 Devotion - Renewing My Mind- Step 6 - Think Forgiveness

I covered the following on the first devotion in this series:

I believe that I can experience God’s good and pleasing will for my life when I:

•         Surrender to God

•         Let The Holy Spirit work in me and direct me 

•         Clean up (detoxify) my mind

•         Constantly read the Bible and meditate on God’s word

•         Pray without ceasing

•         Get my thoughts, behaviour, and attitude and boundaries aligned with God’s word

In the last devotions I wrote:

In the next 10 devotions I will share with you 10 steps to clean up or detoxify the brain. Let’s learn to apply them.

These steps are adapted from The Bible, a book by Dr. Caroline Leaf (a Christian author) and other teachings I learned.

Step 1: Consciously Control Your Thoughts

Step 2: Frame Your World with Your Words

Step 3: Express Those Emotions

Step 4: Take Responsibility and Take Control

Step 5: Dream On!

Step 6:THINK Forgiveness

Forgiveness enables us to release all these toxic thoughts of:

·       Anger

·       Resentment

·       Bitterness

·       Shame

·       Grief

·       Regret

·       Guilt

·       Hate

Most importantly as long as these unhealthy toxic thoughts dominate our minds, we will not be able to grow new healthy thoughts and memories.

Dr. Don Colbert (author of Deadly Emotions) says forgiveness is like an emotional shower: it cleanses and frees the entrapped soul.

Forgiveness in his (and others) view is:

·       Not making excuses for someone’s behaviour, but it is forgiving despite behaviour.

·       Not ignoring pain or hurt, but it is choosing to let go of the person who hurt you.

·       Not letting someone off the hook, but it is leaving that person in God’s hands.

·       Not a weakness, but it is a sign of great courage.

It is often said that forgiveness leads to the ability to love. We cannot love if we have not really forgiven and released those who have wronged us. Forgiveness benefits the one who forgives and it may be the most selfish act one can do.

Scientific research shows that love is good for our health. Ongoing results of the “Forgiveness Study” by researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that those who develop an ability to forgive, have greater control over their emotions and are significantly less angry, upset and hurt, and consequently much healthier.

What Jesus says about forgiveness:

But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”

ولكن لكي تعلموا ان لابن الانسان سلطانا على الارض ان يغفر الخطايا

Mathew 9:6

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

عِنْدَئِذٍ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ بُطْرُسُ وَسَأَلَهُ: «يَارَبُّ، كَمْ مَرَّةً يُخْطِيءُ إِلَيَّ أَخِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟ هَلْ إِلَى سَبْعِ مَرَّاتٍ؟»

 ²²  فَأَجَابَهُ يَسُوعُ:«لاَ إِلَى سَبْعِ مَرَّاتٍ، بَلْ إِلَى سَبْعِينَ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ!

Matthew 18:21-22

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

فَإِنْ غَفَرْتُمْ لِلنَّاسِ زَلاَّتِهِمْ، يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ أَبُوكُمُ السَّمَاوِيُّ زَلاَّتِكُمْ.

 ¹⁵ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرُوا لِلنَّاسِ، لاَ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ أَبُوكُمُ السَّمَاوِيُّ زَلاَّتِكُمْ.

Matthew 6:14-15

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”إِذَنْ، كُلُّ مَا تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُعَامِلَكُمُ النَّاسُ بِهِ، فَعَامِلُوهُمْ أَنْتُمْ بِهِ أَيْضاً: هَذِهِ خُلاَصَةُ تَعْلِيمِ الشَّرِيعَةِ

وَالأَنْبِيَاءِ

   Matthew 7:12

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself and to meditate on it:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and inseparable love. Heavenly Father, Your commandments are all for our benefit. Because You love us, You gave us directives to protect us from hurt and sickness. A non forgiving soul is hurting and sick. Help me to apply what You teach us to pray ‘And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us’.

Help me to THINK forgiveness ALL the time. I know I cannot do this on my own, I ask the Holy Spirit indwelling in me to take over and manage my thoughts, life, feelings and actions. In Jesus’ name I pray to You Abba Father, detox my brain and bring all my thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ so that my mind can be renewed and I can be transformed to Your image. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His Holy Name. To Him be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.  

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein